Zhang Yining
Liu Guoliang
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Zhang Yining leads 3 of 4 categories. Our all-time ranking places Zhang Yining at #4 and Liu Guoliang at #11.
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The case for Zhang Yining
Zhang Yining was the defining women's player of the 2000s, a complete attacker who dominated with power and consistency. She won four Olympic gold medals, singles and doubles at Athens 2004 and singles and team at Beijing 2008, plus World Championship singles titles in 2005 and 2009 and a remarkable run of Women's World Cup victories, completing the career Grand Slam. For much of the decade she was virtually unbeatable in major finals, blending relentless topspin with tactical composure. Retiring in 2009 as one of the most successful players in history, she bridged the Deng Yaping and Ding Ning eras and set the standard of all-round excellence that the Chinese women's programme has demanded ever since.
The case for Liu Guoliang
Liu Guoliang was the first man to complete the career Grand Slam, winning the 1996 Olympic singles title, the 1996 World Cup and the 1999 World Championship. A penhold player famous for a deceptive serve and a tricky combination of pimpled and inverted play, he thrived in the 21-point era and led China's fightback against the Swedish golden generation. His playing career was relatively short, but his impact deepened afterward: as head coach he masterminded an era of Chinese dominance, guiding the likes of Zhang Jike and Ma Long, before becoming a powerful administrator. Few figures have shaped the sport so completely from both sides of the table, first as a Grand Slam champion, then as its most influential coach.